Folding box



G. J. EVANS.

FOLDING BOX Filed July 23, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 V ATTORNEYS Aug. 13, 1946.

Filed July 23, 1945 G, J. EVANS 2,405,564

FOLDING BQX 4' Sheets-Sheet 2 'INVENTOR; 7% rWMM I ATTORNEYS Aug. 13,1946. G. J. EVANS 2,405,564

FOLDING Bbg:

Filed July 23, 1943 4 Sheet s-Sheet a ATTORNEYS Aug. 13, 1946. J, EVANS 2,405,564

FOLDING BOX Filed July 23, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 13, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a folding box comprising a body or container and a cover for closing the body.

The object of this invention is to provide a box of this character in which the body and cover are each constructed of one piece of paper or other sheet material, which i so constructed as to require a minimum amount of material, which can be quickly and easily erected, and which upon being erected produces a box which is very strong and durable and has the general appearance of a glued or permanent box.

In the accompanying. drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the erected body or container of a box made in accordance with this invention, and showing the cover thereof removed.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section, on an enlarged scale, taken on line 2-2, Fig. l, and showing the cover applied to the body.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are fragmentary horizontal sections, on an enlarged scale, taken on the correspondingly numbered lines in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section, taken on line 6-6, Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the blank from which the body or container of the box is formed.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view from the top of the cover of the .box embodying this invention.

Fig. 9 is a similar view looking toward the underside of the cover.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary vertical section, taken on line Il -II], Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the blank from which the cover is constructed.

Although this invention may be embodied in various forms of folding boxes having side walls composed of a plurality of panels it is best suited for a box which has more than four panels or side walls and in the drawings this invention is shown in connection with a box having its side walls composed of six panels, but the same is equally applicable to a box having eight panels in its side walls or a larger number of like multiples. The body or container of the box in the examle shown in Figs. 1-7, comprises a main central panel or bottom I0 which is of hexagonal form in outline and provided with two longitudinal parallel edges II, I2 and two pairs of transversely inclined edges I3, I4, the members of each pair converging outwardly from the longitudinal edges II, I2, respectively, and meeting on a longitudinal line arranged midway or centrally between the longitudinal side edges II, I2, as shownin Fig. 7.

Along the opposite longitudinal edges II, I2 of the bottom are arranged two longitudinal panels I5, I6 forming the upright side panels of the box and connected at their lower. edges with the bottom along the edges II, I 2 which also represent the lines on which the side panels are bent relative to the bottom when erecting the box.

At opposite ends of the side Wall panel is are arranged two panels I1, I! which form parts of the wall at opposite transverse ends'of the body 7 of the box. Each of the end panels I! is connected with the adjacent end of the panel it along a line I8 on which these member are bent relative to each other when erecting the box.

At its outer edge I 9 each of the wall panels I! is provided with a coupling flap 20 which is foldable relative to the respective panel along the line represented by the edge !9 when erecting the box. On the central part of the outer edge '2! of this flap the same is provided with a locking tab 22 which as a whole is of forwardly or outwardly tapering form and normally arranged in the plane of the flap 20 and in its outer edge this tab is provided with a J-shaped slit 49 so as to form a locking lip 23 on this tab which in the unfolded condition of the box lies in the same plane as this tab, as shown in Fig. '7, but is adapted to be bent laterally inward at an angle to this tab along a line 24 when erecting the box.

Adjacent to each inclined edge I3 of the bottom the same is provided with a sealing flap 25 which is adapted to be folded relative to the respective part of the bottom along a line repre sented by said edge I3, and at the outer inner corner of this sealing flap the same is provided with a rectangular retaining lip 26 which projects outwardly therefrom and is arranged in the same plane.

Adjacent to each inclined edge M of the bottom the same is provided with a sealing flap 32 which is adapted to be folded relative to the respective part of the bottom along a line represented. by said edge M.

At opposite ends of the side wall panel it are arranged two panels 21, 2? which form parts of the opposite transverse ends of the body of the box and each of which, together with one of the companion end wall panels ll. forms a complete wall for one transverse end of the box body. Each of these end wall panels 21 is connected at its inner edge with the outer edge of the respective end of the longitudinal panel I6 along a line 28 on which this end wall panel is bent relative to the respective side panel I6 when erecting the box.

Adjacent to it outer edge each of the end wall panels 21 is provided with a vertical locking slit 29 and on the lower part of the outer edge 3|] of this wall panel the same is provided with a rectangular recess 3 I:

When erecting the body or container from the blank shown in Fig. '7 the sealing flaps 25 and 32 are preferably first bent upwardly on the lines l3, M. The two longitudinal side panels l5, iii are then bent upwardly on the lines II, l2 so that they stand vertically relative to the horizontal bottom It. The transverse end panels 21 are then bent inwardly along the lines 28 relative to the longitudinal side panel 16 and engaged with the outer sides, respectively, of the sealing flaps 32 and the retaining notch 3! of each of the end wall panels 21 is engaged with the rectangular retaining lip 26 on the sealing flap 25. The end Wall panels H of the Side Wall panel are now bent inwardly along the lines 18 and engaged with the outer side of the sealing flaps 25. Then the coupling flaps 20 are bent inwardly along the lines l9 and engaged with the outer side of the end wall panels 21 and the locking tabs 22 are passed from the outer side of the end wall panels 21 inwardly through the vertical locking slits 29 thereof so that lookin hooks 23 of these tabs are on the inner sides of the panels 21. Thereafter the locking hooks 23 are bent inwardly along the lines 24 so as to cross respective edges of the slits 29 and become interlocked therewith, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, thereby completing the erection of the box body.

By making the locking tab 22 of outwardly or forwardly tapering form the small or narrow end of the same can be easily and conveniently introduced into the slit 29 for starting its movement therein and thereafter this locking tab can be drawn fully into this slit until the wide part of this tab is closed to the opposite ends of the slit, thereby causing the respective pair of end wall panels to be alined with each other and then held reliably against separation by turning the locking lip 23 at an angle to the slitted end wall panel 21 and into engagement with the inner side of the latter. By these means the box can 1 be erected rapidly and economically and rendered strong and durable.

When thus assembled these several members of the body are reliably interlocked and securely held in place so that the body is comparatively rigid and forms a reliable and durable protection for the goods which are placed therein.

Moreover, by interlocking the transverse panel 21 with the sealing panel at each end of the box by means of the interengaging rectangular The preferred organization of the cover, as shown in Figs. 8-11, is as follows:

The numeral 33 represents the main central panel or top of the cover which is of hexagonal form in outline and provided with two parallel side edges 34, and a pair of inclined edges 36, 31 arranged at each of the transverse ends of the top panel 33 and diverging outwardly.

Along opposite longitudinal sides of the central panel are arranged two longitudinal wall panels 38, 39 which are connected, respectively, at their inner edges with the opposite longitudinal edges 34, 35 of the central panel 33 and are adapted to be bent along these lines into a perpendicular position relative to the central panel.

The numeral represents two end wall panels arranged at opposite ends of the side wall panel 38 and connected therewith at their inner edges with the corresponding ends of this side panel along transverse lines 4! on which these end wall panels are bent inwardly relative to this side panel when erecting the cover. Each of these end wall panels 40 is equal in length to the adjacent inclined transverse edge 35 of the central panel and is provided with a locking slit 42 which is of substantially keystone shape.

At opposite ends of the side wall panel 39 two end wall panels 43 are arranged and each of the latter being connected at its inner end with the respective end of the side wall panel 33 along a transverse lin 44 on which this end wall panel is adapted to be bent inwardly when erecting the cover. Each of these end wall panels 43 is equal in length to the length of the adjacent inclined edge 31 on the corresponding end of the central panel 33. At its outer end each end wall panel 43 is provided with a coupling flap 45 which is connected at its inner end with the respective end wall panel 43 along a line 46 on which it is bent inwardly relative to this end wall panel when erecting the cover. At its outer end each coupling flap 45 is provided with a locking hook 41 which is adapted to pass through the slit 32 of the end wall panel 40 on the corresponding end of the central wall panel for holding the cover in an erected position.

Along each of the inclined edges 36, 31 of the central panel 33 is arranged a sealing flap 48 which is connected with the adjacent part of the central panel and adapted to be bent inwardly toward the latter and into a perpendicular position relative thereto along the edges 35, 31 when erecting the cover.

During the operation of erecting the cover,

' from the blank shown in Fig. 11 to the form shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, the sealing flaps 48 and lip 25 and recess or notch 3|, the end transverse panels of the box are held against moving vertically relative to the bottom in and thus maintain the body as a whole rigidly in shape and preventing the same from weaving or becoming distorted. The sealing flaps 25, 32 reliably close the joints between the bottom and the end panels I! and 21 and prevent leakage of the contents.

In general the cover or closure of the box is substantially like the body or container but of slightly larger dimensions circumferentially so that this cover which is the reverse of the body can he slipped over the upper end of the latter in the usual manner of closing a container having fixed members.

side wall panels 38, 39 are turned inwardly into a position at right angles to the central panel 33. After this the end wall panels 30 and 33 are turned inwardly at an angle and engaged with the outer sides of the sealing flaps 48, and then the coupling tabs 45 are turned inwardly into engagement with the outer side of the end wall panels 43 and the locking hooks 41 are passed through the slits 42 from the outer side of the end wall panels 43 and interlocked with the latter, as shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10.

It will be noted that the construction of the cover and the manner of erecting the same are substantially the same as that of the body or container of the box with the exception that in the cover the beak of the locking hooks 41 is not turned inwardly relative to the shank of these hooks, and no interengaging retaining means are which includes a pair of end wall panels hav n outer vertical ends connected with corresponding vertical ends of the side Walls to form a corner or the box, and means for connecting the opposing inner ends of the panels of each end wall comprising a vertical slit formed in the inner part of one of said end wall panels, a coupling flap arranged on the inner edge of the other end companion slitted end wall panel, a, locking tab arranged on the inner edge of the coupling flap and projecting inwardly through said slit from the outer side of the respective end wall panel to the inner side of the same, and a locking lip connected with the inner end of the locking tab and ent at an angle relative thereto on a line at right angles With the vertical ends at the corners between th side walls and end walls of the box and having an outwardly facing locking edge which crosses the inwardly facing edge of said slit, said locking edge having the form of a hook which overhangs the inner side of the slitted end wall panel and prevents said locking tab from being pulled outwardly through said slit.

GUY J. EVANS. 

